Support frame for racks

ABSTRACT

A support frame to be laid on a pair of cross-members of a shelf having at least two U-profile bars and C-profile bars extending transverse thereto and having flanges connected to the center webs of the U-profile bars. The space between the U-profile bars of the support frame is so dimensioned that the U-profile bars of the support frame just fit between the two cross-members of the storage shelf. The center webs of the C-profile bars are perforated, wherein at least some of the holes have rims protruding from the surface of the C-profile bars facing away from the U-profile bars.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This patent application is a U.S. National Phase of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2011/001742, filed 7 Apr. 2011, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 20 2010 004 600.9, filed 7 Apr. 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

For supporting pallets in storage shelves, it is common to use bars extending in the depth direction of the shelf, which bars are individually placed on pairs of cross-members of the shelf. If the pallets are not lowered onto the bars not vertically and with sufficient accuracy there is a danger for the bars to slip and fail to support the pallets properly.

BACKGROUND

DE 43 01 475 A1 discloses a support structure for a storage shelf in which a specifically constructed profile beam is fixedly connected to the shelf cross-members to support pallets.

WO 2009/114256 A1 discloses a pallet constructed of metal profile members.

SUMMARY

The above problem is met by the support frame disclosed herein. The fixed connection of C-profile bars, which serve to support goods to be stored, to U-profile bars extending perpendicularly thereto creates a unit which can be simply laid on the shelf cross-members and, if the spacing between the U-profile bars is properly selected, results in an arrangement of the C-profile bars which practically cannot move in the depth direction of the shelf.

In at least one disclosed embodiment, the support frame may be assembled at the site, thereby reducing transportation expenditure. As an additional feature, the frame may be prevented from being distorted in a parallelogram manner by using flanges of the C-profile bars that are screwed to the center webs of the U-profile bars.

Perforation of the C-profile bars not only results in a saving of material and weight but also forms a safety measure. In the disclosed embodiment wherein at least some of the holes have rims protruding from the surface of the C-profile bars facing away from the U-profile bars, slippage of the stored goods is counteracted.

The feature wherein the length of the C-profile bars is greater than the space between the U-profile bars achieves a spatial fixation of the support frame, wherein the C-profile bars supporting the stored goods do not extend beyond the given depth of the shelf.

The feature of wherein the space between two C-profile bars is smaller near either end of the U-profile bars than in the central area of the support frame is of advantage with respect to the stability of the support frame in case a pallet is lowered in a tilted manner.

The combination with a shelf ensures a stable positioning of the support frame which does not slip in the depth direction of the shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

At least one disclosed embodiment will be explained in detail below with reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 a plan view of a support frame;

FIG. 2 a side view of the support frame taken from below in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 a side view taken from the left in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 an enlarged end view of a C-profile bar; and

FIG. 5 an enlarged cross-section of a part of the perforated C-profile bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The support frame shown in the drawings consists of a plurality, five in the example shown, of C-profile bars 11 extending parallel to one another, and two U-profile bars 12 extending perpendicularly thereto. At the locations designated by 13, the mutually facing flanges 14 (FIG. 4) of the C-profile bars 11 are connected by means of screw bolts and nuts to the centre webs 15 of the U-profile bars 12 which face upward in FIG. 2.

In the side view of FIG. 3, two cross-members 16 of a storage shelf are shown in cross-section. The mutual spacing of the U-profile bars 12 of the support frame is so dimensioned that they come to lie inside the shelf cross-members 16 so closely that they substantially prevent the support frame from moving in the depth direction of the shelf. At the same time, they ensure that the support frame can be placed onto cross-members 16 only in such a manner that the C-profile bars 11, which serve to receive goods to be stored, specifically pallets, extend in the depth direction of the shelf and the overall frame is held in its plane with the proper angular orientation. In addition, the U-profile bars 12 determine the amount by which the C-profile bars 11 extend beyond the cross-members 16 in the depth direction of the shelf, thereby ensuring that the C-profile bars 11 lie within the space available for the overall shelf.

In the disclosed embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, two C-profile bars 11 are disposed closely together near either end of the U-profile bars 12 whereas there is a greater spacing between the C-profile bars 11 in the central area of the support frame. Both lateral portions of the support frame are thereby given high stability so that, in case a pallet is lowered in a tilted manner, sufficient load-bearing capacity is available on the respective side of the support frame.

The centre webs of the C-profile bars 11 are provided with a plurality of holes 17. The holes 17 not only reduce the material usage and weight of the support frame but also provide fire a protection by passing sprinkler water.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a part of the holes 17 are embossed upward to form rims 18 protruding form the surface of the C-profile bars 11 facing away from the U-profile bars 12, which rims prevent or at least impede slippage of the goods stored on the support frame. 

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 9. A combination of a storage shelf having vertical columns and cross-members connecting the columns, and a support frame comprising at least two U-profile bars and a plurality of C-profile bars extending transversely thereto and having flanges connected to the center webs of the U-profile bars, wherein the space between the U-profile bars of the support frame is so dimensioned that the U-profile bars of the support frame just fit between both cross-members of the storage shelf
 10. The combination of claim 1, wherein the flanges of the C-profile bars are screwed to the center webs of the U-profile bars.
 11. The combination of claim 2, wherein at least some of the C-profile bars have both of their flanges screwed to the U-profile bars.
 12. The combination of claim 1, wherein die center webs of the C-profile bars are perforated.
 13. The combination of claim 4, wherein at least some of the holes have rims protruding from the surface of the C-profile bars facing away from the U-profile bars.
 14. The combination of claim 1, wherein the length of the C-profile bars is greater than the space between the U-profile bars.
 15. The combination of claims 1, wherein the space between two C-profile bars is smaller near either end of the U-profile bars than in the central area of the support frame. 